What kinds of neurological and/or neuropsychological abnormalities have been associated with aggression and antisocial behavior? Impairments in what parts of the brain have been found to play a role in impulsivity, poor problem solving and aggressive behavior?

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What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers may vary.Many kinds of neurological and/or neuropsychological abnormalities have been associated with aggression and antisocial behavior. High rates of abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns have been reported in prison populations and in violent juvenile delinquents. These EEG irregularities may indicate neurological deficits that result in poor impulse control and impaired judgment. Studies of violent offenders have shown slow-wave EEG patterns indicating underarousal. Although a high percentage of persons in the general population also have EEG abnormalities, its rates are somewhat higher in delinquent youth and impulsive adult offenders.More promising results have been reported concerning abnormalities in four subcortical regions of the brain-the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, and midbrain-specifically in the right hemisphere of the brain, which has been linked to the experience of negative emotions. In one study, brain scans of a group of homicide offenders showed that, compared with normal controls, the offenders experienced excessive activity in the four subcortical structures. Excessive subcortical activity may underlie a more aggressive temperament that could, in turn, predispose an individual to violent behavior.A review of the neuropsychological literature supports a relationship between deficits in the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain responsible for planning, monitoring, and controlling behavior, and antisocial behavior. Damage to the prefrontal cortex may predispose individuals to criminal behavior in one of several ways. Patients with impairment in this region of the brain have decreased reasoning abilities that may lead to impulsive decision-making in risky situations. In addition, prefrontal impairment is associated with decreased levels of arousal, and individuals may engage in stimulation-seeking and antisocial behaviors to compensate for these arousal deficits.A review of 17 neuroimaging studies identified the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal regions as areas associated with aggressive and/or violent behavior histories, particularly when this behavior is impulsive. Problems in regulating negative emotions are associated with impairments in these brain regions. Impairments in the prefrontal cortex may help to explain why offenders, on average, have about an 8- to 10-point lower IQ (intelligence quotient) than nonoffenders and are less able to (1) postpone impulsive actions, (2) use effective problem-solving strategies, and (3) achieve academic success in schools as a route to socially approved attainments.